Winning Business By Preparing & Sitting Where The Client Sits

This may sound a little trite. But I am telling you, a little meeting before the big client meeting is key. When you have project team members coming in from across the country, they all aren't thinking like you, or even thinking about the project.



I am a big advocate of a meeting before the meeting. It needs to be long enough so everyone understands the objective of the client meeting the next day. The objective is of course more than just a successful meeting, because that's too obvious. Any one can say, "The objective of the meeting is too have a good meeting." Duh.



The objective is to build confidence in the project team. The project team's perceived capabilities, experience and the ability to get along with the client could be great objectives, because those are the thing that lead to a successful meeting.



Discussing the objectives and getting agreement is job number one. The key leader must facilitate this discussion to get everyone thinking about this.



The second critical aspect is getting everyone to sit in the chairs of the client tomorrow and think about how would these objectives be proven. A good discussion should ensue hear.



Last, great preparation means again, sit in the chair of the client and ask the question, "What if the client asks you this?" When you get the people to respond to the question it forces their brains to work. It also gives you as a facilitator of the meeting whether your message has sunk through all the stuff they have been wrestling with that is unrelated to your meeting tomorrow.



There is a great quote; "Your statement makes you think. Your question makes me think." Not only that, it makes your mouth connect to your brain.



By the way, your preconceived answer could be usurped by their answer, because it may be even better than yours (surprise, surprise).

The most important fact here is - to meet. Meeting insures a better outcome. Prepare, prepare, prepare. Being casual, brings about casualties.

Good Luck!